Secondly, sometimes funding for schools may be inconsistent. This may be so due to withdrawal of donors, delay of government reimbursement for public schools or failure of the learners to pay the due school fees (UNESCO, n.d). Inconsistency in funding may occasion financial crises in the school and paralyze normal operations, including purchase of essential supplies such as teaching materials and other necessities.
Lastly, property taxes and instability of school funding is another problem associated with school funding. The government may impose various taxes on the school property, forcing the institution to pay out if it is the owner of the said property. Such taxation can be a big challenge, especially bearing in mind the instability of school funding. As already mentioned, some sources of school funding can be inconsistent, making payment of property taxes an additional burden to the school management (UNESCO, n.d).
Solutions
The aforementioned school funding issues can be solved through various as proposed below.
Budgeting for School Resources
The aforementioned problem can be solved through hiring competent accounting staff to carry out efficient budgeting, and foregoing certain expenditures that may not be critical to smooth running of the school (UNESCO, n.d).
The strengths of the first solution include the facts that competent staff will be able to draw an efficient, practical budget for the school, and that they will be able to advice the management appropriately in financial matters (UNESCO, n.d). The weaknesses include possible costs in hiring professional accountants, as well as the possibility that the new staff may turn out to be inefficient. Foregoing specific expenditures is advantageous in that the money can be invested in other aspects and corrects a budget deficit. However, the solution is weak in that some ‘unnecessary’ expenditure may be necessary in optimizing quality and efficiency within the school’s service delivery process (UNESCO, n.d).
Inconsistency of School Funding
This problem can be solved by identifying additional sources of funds, such as nongovernmental organizations and government agencies. Alternatively, the school management can revise the school fees upwards in line with law, with a view to increasing its funding.
The strength of the first solution is the fact that the school would have many sources of funding, which may help solve the problem. However, it may be difficult getting willing donors, and certain funding donors may impose certain conditions which may be difficult to meet. Increasing school fees may not go well with the parents and students, and has the risk of attracting legal pursuits which are costly and time consuming. The move may also scare potential students away from the school.
Property Taxes and Instability of School Funding
The school management can solve the above mentioned problem by paying all taxes to avoid legal actions which are costly. The schools can also solicit for additional government funding to solve its budget deficits. While the first solution is good, it may be costly for a school facing financial crunches. Additional government funding can help solve the school’s funding instability. However, this may not always be the case, due to the limited nature of government funding.
Reference
UNESCO. (n.d). School Budgeting. Retrieved 12 November 2013 from
http://library.unesco-iicba.org/English/Better_Schools/Better%20Schools/MODULE5/module5_unit2.htm
